Drone near misses triple

Near misses between aircraft and drones have more than tripled in just two years. Some 92 drone near misses were recorded in 2017, according to Press Association analysis of UK Airprox Board (UKAB) data.

This is compared with 71 during the previous 12 months and 29 drone near misses in 2015.

Former RAF and British Airways pilot Steve Landells, flight safety specialist at pilots’ union Balpa, described the figures as “very worrying”.

He believes the true extent of the problem could be even more severe as pilots struggle to see drones from cockpits.

“It’s really hard to see something that small,” he said.

“There’s a possibility there are a lot more near misses that aren’t being seen,” he said.

“This could just be the tip of the iceberg.”

Twenty-eight near misses in the past year were classified as having the most serious risk of a collision.

These included incidents near the London airports of Heathrow, Gatwick and London City, as well as Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool and Bristol.